BIBLIOGRAPHIC INPUT SHEET TEMPORARY Patterns of mortality ...

268 Patternsof Mortalityin Childhood
Cal- infants breast fed and unweaned who had
favors better absorption of fatty acids.
eium absorption and metabolism are more nutritional deficiency (50.0 and 43.4) but
efficient, and some heinatinic. i.t;e present in here the percentages for infants with less
breast feeding were even higher. The pathigher
concentrations.
of percentages of nutritional
Other properties such as cystine and lac- tern lowest
never
tose provided in high levels, presence of deficiency in those breast fed and
involved in protein weaned and higher percentages in the other
nucleotides (indirectly
synthesis), easier digestion of protein (ten- groups was noted in all projects.
For infants dying in the next age group,
sional characteristics of curd), as well as
6-11 months, the numbers breast fed and
more efficient utilization of fat and of calsmall
and tile percentnevecium
explain the excellent growth and brain weaned were
ages are shown for only eight projects (Fig­
development attained by the child with
ure 136). There are distinct differences, as
breast feeding in the first 4-6 months of life.
Through the protective mechanisms was the case for those dying at 28 days-5
against infection (of which good nutrition months. In the projects in Ribeir5o Prto,
is an important one) human milk favors a Bolivia, and Chaco Province the percentages
nupositive
balance of nutrients, and hence of those not breast fed at all who had
normal growth and (levelopment. tritional deficiency were 92.3, 72.7, and 63.3,
Data on the relationship between breast while the percentages for those breast fed
feeding and nutritional deficiency as under- and never weaned were 57.1, 49.6, and 47.7.
lying or associated cause of death are presented
in Table 162 an(l Figures 135 and bers breast fed and never weaned were too
For the five projects in which the num­
136 for the two age groups in the postneo- small for calculation of percentages, the
natal period (28 days-5 months and 6-11 data for the three other divisions of breast
months).
feeding are presented. The numbers in some
As can be seen in Figure 135, nutritional of the projects were small in certain of the
deficiency as underlying or associated cause groups, but in general they indicate that
was less frequent in infants breast fed and the experience in infants not breastfed at all
never weaned than in infants who were was the most unfavorable. In all except
breast fed not at all or for only limited one of the 13 projects more than 60 per cent
periods,
of those infants had nutritional deficiency.
For the group (lying at 28 days-5 months In the groups that had been breast fed one
of age, the Chile project had the lowest pro- month or more the percentages were in
portion of those breast fed and never weaned general lower. The data for the 13 projects
who had nutritional deficiency (17.5) and combined are shown in Figure 137, and it
the percentages for the other three cate- can be seen that lower proportions of the degories
of breast feeding, though more than ceased infants breast fed and never weaned
twice as high, were relatively favorable had nutritional deficiency as an underlying
(39.4, 44.5, and 46.5). In Kingston-St. An- or associated cause than (lid those never
drew and Cali also the percentages were low, breast fed or weaned before death.
particularly anmong those breast fed and Certain of the findings are puzzling. In
never weaned (23.0 and 18.5).
the El Salvador project the percentages of
In this same age group, Recife and Chaco infants with nutritional deficiency who had
Province had the highest percentages of been breast fed for less than one month or